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Archive 2017 · Minolta Maxxum 35-105 with La-ea4

  
 
Michael Everet
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Minolta Maxxum 35-105 with La-ea4


Looking through my old lenses I found a Maxxum 35-105 3.5-5.6 and tried it with a Fotodiox adapter. I was surprised as just how good a lens it is. Has anyone used it with the Laea4 adapter? I'm wondering how it works and if it is worth buying one. I like the focal length but for what i would use it AF is a must.

Correction 3.5-4.5



Mar 18, 2017 at 12:23 PM
TheEmrys
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Minolta Maxxum 35-105 with La-ea4


IQ-wise, it's quite a good lens. Well, if it is the original model with the macro switch. It's plain old great. Minolta made a ton of them, and they are better than the 28-85/3.5-4.5.

The 35-105 is often referred to as a hidden G lens. It was very popular for portraiture, with lower microcontrast which often hides flawed skin. Its contrast is excellent, as well as it's color and bokeh.

AF wise, it performs as one would expect the very first AF lenses made would. It isn't fast, but it isn't abysmally slow, either, as it's modest speeds makes focus acquisition fairly straightforward. The first generation Minolta 85/1.4 could struggle.

As for the performance of the lens, in terms of where it sits in the Minolta Maxxum/Dynax lens pantheon, for the first generation of lenses, it was second only to the best copies of the 28-135/4-4.5, often referred to as the Secret Handshake. The tough part is that the 28-135 was quite a complex design and over the years, it is easy for them to lose their sharpness as things get knocked about. But, the 35-105 is a simpler design. I have had 8 copies of the 28-135, with 1 being really good, and 1 being excellent. The rest were boring. I have had nearly 20 copies of the 35-105 macro, and I had 1 copy that wasn't great.

Color signature, bokeh, and contrast were nearly identical among the early Minolta. They really brought a unified look to the masses. And the 35-105 has the excellent rendering of the early Minolta. They all suffer from CA.

On the LA-EA4, it's decent. Just don't expect to use af-c. But for af-s, it's decent. Excellent for static subjects. The Sony 24-105 and the Minolta 28-135 were my walk-around lenses. Preferred the Minolta look, but liked the Sony's seize better.



Mar 18, 2017 at 01:42 PM
Michael Everet
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Minolta Maxxum 35-105 with La-ea4


Thank you for the detailed reply. The quality of my copy stunned me, even though I could try it only wide open, so it's good to know that they have the reputation they do. It sounds like it's worth adding the La-ea4 to it, and as long as the AF is decent that will work. I have native primes for when I really want quality or need AF speed, and I have never been satisfied with either the 28-70 or the 24-70/4. The 24-70GM is both too big and too expensive so if this can replace the 24-70/4 as a general walk around even without the wider end that would be fine.

BTW Emrys it is the earlier version. And 20 copies -- wow.



Mar 18, 2017 at 07:08 PM
TheEmrys
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Minolta Maxxum 35-105 with La-ea4


Yeah, the 20 copies was crazy. I would buy auction sets looking for good copies of the Beercan, 35-105, 135/2.8 (amazingly good and compact), 28-135, 50/1.4 (another winner), and the 24/2.8. Even the 75-300 macro is excellent. With its focus limiter, it was quite quick to af. Both it and the Beercan provide 1:4 macro at the long end, quite useful in a pinch.

Do be warned, these lenses need to be stopped down in high contrast environments. They can really have some bad CA and stopping down doesn't always help.

If you enjoy portraiture, the 100/2 is my all-time favorite portrait lens that I owned. So versatile and flattering. There are other good options, but tend to be more specialized.

Also, if you find you need a wider option, the Minolta 28-70/2.8 G is quite good.



Mar 18, 2017 at 08:13 PM





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